Motor control



Feb. 11,1936.

IOTOR CONTROL Filed April 14. 1933 I F. J. RUSSELL I 2,030,470

resented Feb. .11, 1936 PATENT OFFICE Moron comm.

Franks/Russell, Wauwatoea, Wis a-ignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Win, a corporation of Delaware Application April 14, 1933, Serial No. 666,098

This invention relates to control of electric motors. and more particularly squirrel cage motors.

In practice it is desired to employ squirrel cage motors for driving the chains of feeder catcher tables of mills for rolling tin plates, but such motors cannot be so employed with success unless suitably controlled in acceleration and deceleration for accomplishment thereof while the motors make only a small number of revolutions and provision of satisfactory control has. proven troublesome. Unless the motors are properly controlled the piled plates are apt to slip, and are apt to become damaged by slipp whereas it has been found difllcult, if not im-- possible, to obtain the desired control of the motors by use of the customary resistance for the motor primaries.

The present invention has among its objects to 20 provide for control of such motors in a manner well adapting them to the aforementioned and other uses.

Another object is to provide a controller which may be readily adjusted to meet different operat- 25 ing conditions.

Another object is to provide a controller rendering unnecessary employment of moving parts essential to controllers of the resistance type.

Another object is to provide a controller hav- 30 ing a time limit characteristic and yet not requirivng a dash pot timer or other special timing de- Another object is to provide a controller which as regards cost will be comparable with a con- 35 troller of the resistance type;

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The sec drawing illustrates one embodiment of the invention which will now be de- 40 scrlbed.

In the drawing, Figure lisadiagrammaticviewofapairof motors and control means therefor, and

Fig. 2 is a copy of an oscillogram illustrative 45 of the functioning of the controller.

Referring to Fig. 1. the same illustrates two squirrel cage motors I and 2 such as are used for the feeder catcher tables of tin plate mills in which service the motors as aforeindicated' 5 must be accelerated and. reversed within very brief periods corresponding to a relatively small number of revolutions of the motors. The motors have their primary windings connected in parallel to be supplied from linesL 1, ,1; of a 3 phase 55 supply source. The continuity oi the primary 9 Claims. (CL 172-289) circuits of motors l and I is controllable by triple pole reversing switches I and l of usual form which are provided with operating windings I and s, respectively, and with a master switch 1 to energize said windings selectively. As will be understood, the means for controlling continuity of circuit and reversals of current may assume any desired form, and as will be understood, the means illustrated provides for plugging of the motors in the usual way. m Further considering the controller shown in Fig. l, the same comprises three reactors I, I0

and Ii of like construction, and of well known form, one for each phase of the motor circuit. Each reactor comprises a magnetic frame on which are mounted series connected coils i2 and I3 through which current for one phase of the motor circuit is supplied, and a control coil It to be supplied from a direct current source L L is will'be understood, the coils l2 and ll have a maximum reactance value when-their respective coil I4 is deenergized. Also as will be understood, when the coils it are supplied with direct current they function subject to an inherent time element to decrease the reactance values of coils i2 and II, such decrease in reactance value being gradual. The coils I l which, are connected in parallel have common control means comprising a relay l5 having two poles to and I1 connected respectively between coils It and line L, and between said coils and line H,

said relay having an operating winding ll series connected in one phase of the motor circuit. This series relay is designed and adjusted to respond when the motor current rises to a given value; and to release when the motor current recedes to a given lower value. Also the control means of coils it comprises a rheostat I. connected between said coils and line L. The series relay I! is normally open and thus when the motors are started from rest byciosure of either of the reversing switches the coils M are disconnected from lines L, U, whereby the motors at the instant ofstarting are subjected to the maximum reactance of coils l2 and I8. On the other hand, assuming appropriate design and adjustment of the series relay the initial inrush of current to the motors will cause said relaytorespondtoconnectthecoils lltothe. D. C. supply circuit, and said coils will thereupon act to gradually reduce the reactance value of coils l2 and II for smooth acceleration of the motors. The motors in accelerating will eil'ect reduction of the current supplied thereto and again assuming appropriate design and adjustment of the series relay it will release to disconnect the coils ll when the motors have accelerated to a given degree. Disconnection o! the coils ll, of course, tends to increase the reactance but with the series relay properly designed and adjusted such increase may be delayed until the vide a maximum reactance whereas theincrease in value oi the current 0! the motor circuit incident to plugging will cause the series relay again to respond to reconnect the D. C. coils, thereby eflecting gradual decrease in reactance for deceleration and reacceleration oi the motors. After the motors are thus reversed and reaccelerated the series relay will again release to disconnect the coils l4, thereby again preparing the reactors to function either upon restarting the motors from rest or upon plugging oi the motors.

As will be apparent, the reactors are adjustable by the rheostat I! which may be located atthe mill control stand and thus the rheostat aflords means whereby the mill attendant watching movement of the plates may readily adjust the controller to meet diiierent operating conditions and thereby minimize chance oi slipping, etc.

Referring to the oscillogram Fig. 2, the same shows the variation in reactance value 01' the reactors, or in other words, the variation in voltage drop across the coils l2 and it which may be obtained by supplying the coil is with direct current, Also this oscillogram shows that the attainment of full energization of the direct current coils involves a time element and that the resulting decrease in re'actance value of the coils I2 and I3 is gradual. Also it shows the recovery 01' i'ull'reactance value of coils l2 and I! when the coil II is deenergized, and as will be apparent the recovery is sufllciently quick to insure effectiveness of the reactors even where'the periods between reversals are short. As will be understood, the line representing current of the direct current co cal perfection of the reactor employed, and as will be understood the current may be assumed to be as depictedby the dotted line whichhas been added to the oscillogram.

While the two motors are illustrated as controlled by reactors common thereto it will be apparent that they might have separate circuits with separate sets 01 reactors, and that if desired such reactors might be designed to enable the direct current coils of all to be controlled by means common thereto. Also it will be apparent that the reactors illustrated might be provided with any of the various known means to modify their inherent time elements.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination, a squirrel cage motor, a reactor having coils traversed by the current supplied tothe motor and a control coil to be suppliediromadirect tsource,meanstocompiete the motor circuit or operation oi the ils' is wavy because of lack of mechaniin either direction and for plugging the motor, and automatic control means for said control coil to excite the same following initial completion of the motor circuit, to decrease the excitation of said control coil thereafter, continuing such condition of said coil through. an initial stage 01' plugging'whereby the reactor will aflord increased reactance ior plugging, and to increase excitation of said control coil after initiation of 9 88 8:

2. In combination, a. squirrel cage motor, re-

actors having coils traversed by the current supplied to the motor and direct current coils for varying the reactance value 01' the former coils, and means responsive to the motor current and operative at a given relatively high value of the motor current to supply said direct current coils with current and thereafter operative at a given lower value of the motor current to decrease the excitation of said direct current coils and to maintain such decrease in excitation until the motor current again attains said given relatively high value.

3. In combination, a squirrel cage motor, reactors having coils traversed by the current supplied to the motor and having control coils to be supplied with direct current, means to control the continuity of the motor circuit and to eflect reversals of the motor, and means responsive to the motor current to connect said direct current coils to their source of supply when the motor current attains a given value, and to disconnect said direct current coils from circuit when the motor current recedes to a given value, said reactors under the control of said last mentioned means aflording a given reactance upon initial starting 0! the motor and also upon initial plug ging of the motor, and a varying reactance for initial acceleration and for subsequent plugging and reacceleration. l,

4. A method of controlling a squirrel cage motor having in the primary circuit reactors provided with controlling coils to be suppliedwith direct current which consists in establishin starting connections for the motor, eiiecting acceleration of the motor through excitation of the controlling coils, decreasing the excitation of the controlling coils while the motor is running,

establishing plugging connections while the excitation of the controlling coils is decreased, and again increasing the excitation of the controlling coils to control plugging and to eflectreacceleration or the motor.

5. A method of control for squirrel cage motors having in circuit therewith reactors provided with control coils to be supplied with direct current whichconsists in establishing starting connections for the motor and providing for maximum reactance for initial starting by disconnection of the control coils, then exciting the control coils for acceleration oi the motor and again disconnecting them irom circuit, then establishing plugging connections for the motor while the control coils are disconnected and again exciting the control coils for controlling plugging and reacceleration oi the motor.

6. In combination, a squirrel cage motor, reactors having coils traversed by the current supplied to said motor and direct current coils for varying the reactance value oi said reactors, means responsive to the motor starting current to eiiect a' given degree of excitation oi the direct current coils, said means being thereafter operableatagivenvalueoithemotorcurrentasthe motor current decreases toe-normal running aosoaro value. to e flecta given decrease in excitation of the direct current coils. restoring them tottheir initial condition, and means aflording adjustment of the degree oi excitationoi' the direct current coils effected by thejormer means.

7. In combination; a squirrel cage'motor, reactors having coils traversed by the current supplied to said motor, and direct current coils for varying the reactance value 01 the former coils. and means controlling the supply oi direct current to said direct current coils, said means comprising an electroresponsive relay responsive to the motor starting current to eflect increase in excitation of said coils and releasable at a given value of the motor current as it recedes to a normal running value, to effect decrease in excitation of said direct current coils for restore tion of the latter to the initial condition.

8. In combination. a squirrel cage motor, reactors having coils traversed by the current supplied to the motor, and direct currentcoils for varying the reactance value of the former coils.

means controlling the supply of direct current their initial condition.

to said direct current coils, said means comprising an electroresponsive relay responsive to the motor starting current to elect increase inexcitation 0'! said coils mu releasable at a given value oi the motor current as it recedes to a normal running value. to eiiect decrease in excitationoi' said directcurrent coils for restoration of the latter to the initial condition, and means afl'ording adjustment of the degree of excitation-of the direct current coils by the former means.

9. In combination, a squirrel cage motor, reactors having coils traversed by the current supplied to said motor and direct current coils for varying the reactance valueof said reactors, and means responsive to the motor starting current to elect a given degree of ex'citation o! the direct current coils. said means being thereafter operable at a given value of the motor current as the motor current decreases to a normal running value, to eflect a given decrease in excitation of the direct current coils, restoring the latter to max J. nussxnn 

